Gabriel Garcia Marquez: A literary giant

We look at the life and legacy of the Colombian author.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez is considered the most popular Spanish-language writer since Miguel de Cervantes wrote Don Quixote in the 17th century. He rose to literary celebrity that spawned comparisons to Mark Twain and Charles Dickens.

Garcia Marquez is credited with helping create and define magical realism as a literary genre. He constructed the fanciful genre by injecting fantastical elements into otherwise realistic scenes.

In addition to his work as a novelist, Garcia Marquez was also a poet, short story writer, screen writer and journalist.

Gabo, as he was affectionnately known, in 1982 became the first Colombian and only the fourth Latin American author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Just how has Garcia Marquez managed to inspire millions around the globe?